** Reply to message from Stan Glasoe on Mon, 15 Aug 2005 09:40:01 -0500

Stan, thanks for your reply. I am directing this to you off-list so as not to annoy the list with some really basic (noobie) questions. Once I understand a few terms better then I can move forward. Thx. Gil This may be too useful to others to take off-list. Your questions are

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OK. Seems to me that SUSE isn't configuring PCI properly on this specific system where Knoppix is. Using Failsafe, both acpi=off and apm=off _usually_ fix these problems in SUSE. My theory is that something in the BIOS or on the mainboard is activated/deactivated properly during a Knoppix boot while its missed during SUSE boot.

acpi=off??? apm=off?? How do I know if that is the case? I did not intentionally look for and verify these settings. Where is that done? Does it happen automatically when you boot into Failsafe mode? Yes in Failsafe mode those are used. There isn't an easy way to verify in SUSE's graphical boot process what is actually -going- to be loaded once you hit enter or it times out and boots. Need to get that fixed in OpenSUSE; ability to see and change the boot command line in GUI boot

On Monday 15 August 2005 10:03 am, Gil Weber wrote: perfect for the list and need to be there. process.? You could drop to the text version and use the interactive grub boot process but that isn't what I would recommend you do "as a newbie". As root you can check /boot/grub/menu.lst (which I just did) and see what parameters are loaded in each section on the "kernel" line. That is the boot command line I refer to elsewhere. Failsafe is usually the last choice on the list.

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Next step is to try other PCI and ACPI and possibly APIC settings on the boot command line. SUSE has 2 SDB articles for reference. The newest, http://portal.suse.com/sdb/en/2004/11/acpi_basics.html explains a bit about PCI, APM and ACPI. It references http://portal.suse.com/sdb/en/2002/10/81_acpi.html where we get some parameters to play with.

I'll look. Hopefully it's not written in "geek speak" and I'll be able to understand it. :o)

Not too bad for technical issues. The parameters are what I want you to be trying.

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What we know doesn't work in SUSE: apm=off acpi=off Failsafe also uses ide=nodma and noapic.

As noted above, do we know this? I did not knowingly go with these settings. When you use Failsafe mode these are used. You've used Failsafe mode in this process if I'm not mistaken and my memory serves me well enough...

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Things to try in no particular order since I don't know which would be most effective in this case or in general:

apm=off acpi=noirq = ? disable IRQ routing in ACPI apm=off acpi=oldboot = ? use ACPI only for booting

apm=off acpi=off noapic = ? This is used in Failsafe mode. No relief.

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apm=off acpi=off lapic = ? apm=off acpi=off nolapic = ?

Oh, my. Where are these set? How do I make the changes (for example, where do I disable IRQ routing in ACPI)? And what can I try without the risk of blowing up my pooter?? :o) No risk in blowing it up worse than it is with a PCI video card installed... I have to always add acpi=off to my main system since its acpi sucks. These are all added on the boot command line. If you choose Failsafe mode than both apm=off and acpi=off are used as well as ide=nodma and noapic.

My understanding is that the last parameter used takes precedence on the boot command line. So if you have acpi and then acpi=off and then acpi=oldboot, acpi=oldboot will win. I don't recommend doing that because it will be easy to get confused as to what parameters have been tried.

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And here is how to make them permanent IF we figure out what works: http://portal.suse.com/sdb/en/2002/12/fhassel_bootoptions.html

Let's continue using the normal boot mode but add in parameters one at a time. Fewer options already listed versus Failsafe mode where we hope our additional parameters are truly overriding those already entered. Stan